Fur lined injection molded footwear and method of making same

ABSTRACT

Fur lined injection molded footwear includes an inner layer of animal fur or fake fur which contacts the wearer&#39;s foot. Joined to the fur layer is an intermediate layer which is integral with the fur layer and is bonded to the thermoplastic shell of the footwear.

BACKGROUND

In many types of footwear it is desirable to have a fur lining which extends out of the top of the footwear and is folded back down over its outer wall. The fur lining can be animal fur or synthetic or fake fur. Prior art fur lined footwear is made by overlaying the fur liner on the other components of the footwear and then sewing or gluing the components together to make the finished footwear. However, this cannot be done when the footwear is injection molded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Fur lined footwear includes an inner fur layer, an intermediate layer which is integral with the fur layer and outer layer of injection molded thermoplastic material.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fur liner, which is part of the footwear of the subject invention, which is made from synthetic fur.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a liner, similar to FIG. 1, which is made from animal fur.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the method for making the footwear of the subject invention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a mold used in making the subject invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, a mold 10 contains a cavity 12 that defines the outer surface of the shell 30 of the footwear. A last 14 fits into the mold and has an outer surface that defines the inner surface of the shell 30. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the mold 10 includes three pieces with a top piece 16 having a cavity that defines one side of the footwear, a bottom piece 18 having a cavity that defines the opposite side of the footwear, and a base 20 having a cavity that defines the outsole. The ends of the top and bottom pieces 16, 18 which are at the top of the footwear, are joined by means of a hinge 22, which allows the mold to be opened to insert the last. The base is releasably attached to the top and bottom pieces after they have been closed using conventional attachment mechanisms.

Before the last 14 is inserted into the mold 10, a liner 24 is placed on the last. The liner 24 substantially covers the entire last and preferably extends upwardly beyond the portion of the last that will form the upper end of the injection molded thermoplastic material which will become the shell 30 of the footwear. The liner has an inner fur layer 26 which faces the last, and an intermediate layer 28 which will be bonded to the thermoplastic shell. The fur layer can be real fur, FIG. 2, or fake or synthetic fur, FIG. 1. In the former case the intermediate layer will be animal skin. In the latter case the intermediate layer will be a knit or woven material or something similar. In either case the fur and the intermediate layer are opposite sides of the same material. The liner 24 is formed from fabric segments which are sewn to one another to form an integral unit.

The liner 24 is placed on the last before the last is inserted into the cavity of the open top and bottom pieces. Once the last and liner are placed in the mold and the mold is closed, thermoplastic material is heated to where it becomes fluid and is injected into the mold through conventional injection process. The thermoplastic material surrounds the liner and will become the footwear shell 30. Once the thermoplastic material cools the mold is opened and the newly formed footwear is removed from the mold. The last is then removed and the liner is trimmed to the desired height, which typically will be above the top of the thermoplastic shell 30 so that the fur layer can be folded back down over the top of the thermoplastic shell as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings. When completed the thermoplastic shell, intermediate layer and fur layer are bonded into an integral unit. 

What is claimed is:
 1. Footwear comprising: (a) an inner fur layer; (b) an intermediate layer which is attached to said fur layer; and (c) an outer layer of injection molded thermoplastic material which is attached to said intermediate layer.
 2. The footwear of claim 1 wherein said inner fur layer is animal fur.
 3. The footwear of claim 2 wherein said intermediate layer is animal skin.
 4. The footwear of claim 1 wherein said inner fur layer is wool and said intermediate layer is knit wool.
 5. The footwear of claim 1 wherein said inner fur layer is fake fur.
 6. The footwear of claim 1 wherein said inner fur layer is synthetic fur.
 7. The footwear of claim 1 wherein said outer layer is a thermoplastic material.
 8. A liner for placement on a last for injection molding footwear, said liner comprising: (a) an inner fur layer; and (b) an intermediate layer which is attached to said fur layer;
 9. A method for making fur lined footwear comprising: (a) providing a last having an outer surface that conforms to specific foot shape; (b) providing a mold having an internal cavity which is configured to receive said last with there being a space between said cavity and said last; (c) placing a liner over said last before said last is placed in said mold, said last having an inner fur layer and an intermediate layer which is attached to said fur layer; (d) injecting a fluid thermoplastic material into the mold between said liner and said internal cavity; and (e) removing the resulting fur lined footwear from said mold. 